6-6-2011 Sun Devils Win Game 1

OverviewArizona State edged out a 6-5 victory earlier in the tournament having to come back from a 5-4 deficit. The Sun Devils built a 4-0 lead, 3 runs on 6 hits off tonight’s Florida starter, but the Gators, who took 8 hits off Escobedo, scored 5 runs in the top 4th, with home runs by Moultrie and DeFelice. ASU tied the game, bottom 4th, and won the game on a tie-braking run, bottom 7th, on a Lockwood infield single. Escobedo was pushed, throwing 174 pitches, 99 for strikes. She succeeds by enticing batters to swing at pitches high and away. The nine ASU starters have batting averages over .310.

THE GAMEArizonaState 14, Florida 4

While Escobedo was tagged for just 5 hits and 5 walks, this game turned on the Sun Devils explosive offense, which converted 13 hits into 14 runs, including four home runs which generated 7 runs. Escobedo struck out seven, which meant a lot of work for the ASU defense, and it sparkled, snuffing the few Gator scoring opportunities. Donnenwirth drove in 4 runs with 2 homers. Lockwood drove in 3 runs with a homer and single, Castillo drove in 3 runs. The Gator runs came on solo shots by Bruder and Coyle, and a 2-run blast by Moultrie. As prolifric as the Sun Devil offense was tonight, Coach Myers gave great credit to the defense.

Florida 1st: Moultrie (.445) worked a 3-2 and walked. DeFelice (.264) was hbp, as ruled by home plate umpire, but the 1st base umpire over-ruled and DeFelice returned to the batter’s box, and flied out to center. Bruder (.389) struck out. Schutte (.324) singled, Moultrie safe at 3rd, Bush (.344), who led the nation briefly with 21 homers, went to 3-2, took a third strike.

ASU 2nd: Parlich (.310) flied to Coyle at short. Johnson (.338) doubled to the wall in left. Haro (.365) at 3-2 struck out. Boyd, who has an .804 slugging percentage, walked. Rogers fouled off several pitches, walked, loading the bases. Castillo, a .681 slugger, rapped the first pitch into left center, 2 rbi. Lockwood singled to right, rbi.. 4-0. Two on, Donnenwirth, who was fourth on the team with 50 rbi, jacked a 3-run homer to left center. Urfer flied high to Paculba at 2nd..

Gators 3rd: Fagan (.253) lined out, great catch by Donnenwirth at 3rd. Moultrie, the most dangerous Gator, walked for the second time. DeFelice doubled down the left field line, the second hit off Escobedo. Bruder who has 18 homers worked a 3-2 then looked at an outside pitch, called a third strike. Schutte flied deep to center.

Florida 5th: Gammel bunted back to Escobedo. Fagan struck out on a high rise. Moultrie at 3-2 flied out deep to left. There is no run-rule in the Championship.

ASU 5th: Boyd flied out to right. Rogers chased Bruder to the wall in left for the second out. Castillo beat out a slow roller to Brombacher. Lockwood crushed a 2-run homr to right center. Donnenwirth followed with a solo shot inside the left field foul pole, the 13th Sun Devil hit. Urfer flied out to right.

Florida 6th With one out, Bruder crushed a home run, the third hit off Escobedo. Schutte struck out. Bush lined to 1st, a great catch by Urfer. 14-1. Ironically, as shown on the wcoreboard, four of the top 5 rbi hitters are from Florida.

ASU 6th: Down in order, including two substitutes.

Florida 7th: Despite the huge lead, there would be no substitution in the ASU circle, Escobedo continuing. Coyle slammed a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall, the fourth Gator hit. 14-2. Paculba struck out. Horton struck out. Fagan walked. Moultrie slugged a 2-run homer, with 2 out. 14-4. The fifth hit. Heil walked. Bruder flied high to 2nd to end the game.